Means for protecting frangible tubes from breakage.



PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

G. W. JUSTUS. MEANS FOR PROTECTING FRANGIBLE TUBES FROM BREAKAGE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30, 1904.

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UNTTEID STATES 7 PATENT orrron.

GEORGE W. JUSTUS, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application filed .tpril 30, 1904 Serial No. 205,811.

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, GEORGE W. JUs'rUs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Means for Protecting Frangible Tubes from Breakage, of which the following is a specification.

In the transportation of tubes and hollow articles of fragile material, and particularly vitreous material, which are likely to fracture under blows or shocks, great care must be exercised in packing the goods for shipment to guard against breakage and consequent loss. In spite of the precautions taken in packing the percentage of loss by breakage in shipping articles of this class islarge. For example, the breakage in clay pipes of the ordinary variety, which are usually carefully packed in sawdust or similar material, is frequently as high as twenty-five per cent of the shipment, while with the long-stemmed pipes and with the fancy shapes having curved stems the percentage of breakage is even greater.

It is with the object of providing at small expense means to reduce the likelihood of breakage in this class of articles during transportation and handling that I have evolved the present device, which 1 shall describe in detail hereinafter, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated several embodiments of my invention in order that it may be clearly understood by those skilled in the art.

Briefly stated, my invention is based on the discovery that if a tube of fragile material have inserted in its bore a closely fitting relatively non frangible core or support which lies in continuous contact with the walls of the orifice or bore of the tube such tube will withstand shocks of considerable force without breaking, the core sustaining the walls of the tube interiorly against the impact of blows or breaking strains and withstanding lateral stress upon the tube, so as to minimize danger of breakage in handling and transportation.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a glass tube provided with a supporting-core in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a curved atomizer apparatus having packing-cores. Fig. 3 is a view in section of an amber cigar-holderto which invention is applied. Fig. i is a view similar to Fig. 3 of a pipe having a long curved stem in which a packing-core has been inserted.

' Referring to the drawings by numbers, like numbers indicating similar elements in the several views, 1, Fig. 1, indicates a tube of glass or vitreous material having a bore 2. Within said bore 2 is placed a sustaining-core 3, which is of relatively non-frangible material, such core in the present instance being formed of annealed or of spring wire of the proper gage to fill completely the bore 2, fitting said bore with a close sliding fit, so as to be in close and continuous contact with the walls thereof. The core 3 is shown in Fig. 1 as withdrawn slightly from the tube 1 in order that the relation of the parts may be clear; but it Will be understood that in assembled condition the core 3 will fill the tube from end to end, so as to give it internal support at all points, it being preferable to have the sustaining-core 3 slightly longer than the tube 1 with which it is intended to be used in order that it may be conveniently withdrawn. The result of this combination of a frangible tube and a sustaining-core is an article which is substantially solid and one in which the fragile outer skin is so supported internally at all points as that blows or strains due to shocks are taken up as by a solid body, and the tendency to fracture inherent in ahollow article of frangible material is almost entirely eliminated.

In Fig. 2 is shown an atomizer apparatus composed of two curved tubes in which wire cores are used, showing the adaptability of the device to curved tubes, for it will be seen that the flexible core 3 follows the curve of the bore without difliculty and gives complete. support to it at all points.

In Fig. i I have shown a clay pipe of the ordinary type, the stem of which, i, is provided with a sustaining-core 3, which is inserted at the bit of the stem and extends to the point of juncture of the stem and bowl 5,

so that the stem 4 is safeguarded in the same. j

manner described in connection with the tubes shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be seen from an examination of Fig. 4 that the invention is particularly Well adapted for use in connection with pipes of clay or other frangible material in which the stem is curved, for, as shown in said last-mentioned figure, the wire of which the core 3 is formed has that degree of flexibility which enables it bore of the article to be protected.

to follow the curves of the stem 4, and so renders its insertion and withdrawal easy, while at the same time it maintains complete and intimate contact with the walls of the bore of the stem 4 throughout its length. It will be apparent, therefore, that the qualities of sufficient rigidity to permit the easy threading of the core into the orifice of the tube and such flexibility as will enable said core to follow a curved bore are important, since they render the invention applicable to tubes or pipe-stems of the most complex curvature.

While I have shown the invention as applied to articles having small cylindrical bores, for which articles it is primarily intended, it is obvious that it is equally well fitted for use in connection with tubes the bores of which are larger and of different shape in cross-section, it being necessary only that the core conform in cross-sectional shape and area to the When thus protected by insertion of cores, the articles may be carried more safely without packing or may be packed in boxes in straw, sawdust, or otherwise as if unprotected by cores and shipped. The result is to reduce materially the breakage without increasing the size of the package and with little or no increase of the cost of packing. Upon arrival the box is opened in the usual way, and upon removal of the cores the articles are ready for use.

The core 3, which, as stated, is conveniently and preferably formed of wire, may be made of spring-wire or wire that has been annealed, and good results follow from the use of either; but the spring-wire is found to give particularly satisfactory results as a core, probably for the reason that its elasticity gives a resilient support to the tube, and so a core of spring wire is perhaps preferable to one formed of annealed wire, which is more or less dead or inelastic.

For the protection of tubes of relatively expensive material, such as amber, during handling and transportation a core 6 may be used which is adapted to remain permanently within the tube, the core itself being tubular, as shown in Fig. 3. in such case it is not necessary for the user to withdraw the core, but the article is used With the core in place, and the article is thus protected if it is accidentally dropped upon the floor.

am aware, of course, thatithas been proposed to protect tubular fragile articles, such as lamp-chimneys and the like, from breakage during transportation and handling by stufiing them with paper or other massed ma terial, and I do not, therefore, seek to inelude such expedients within the range of my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. As a means for protecting hard frangible tubes from breakage during transportation and handling, the combinationwith such tube; of a core of relatively non-frangible material, closely fitting the bore of the said tube and supporting the same interiorly against external blows or strains; said tube and core forming a non-frangible unit or body Inade up of a hard brittle skin and a tough sustaining-core.

2. As a means for protecting hard frangible tubes from breakage during transportation and handling, the combination with such tube; of a continuous core of relatively nonfrangible material, closely fitting the bore of the said tube and supporting the same interiorly against external blows or strainsasaid tube and core forming a non-frangible unit or body made up of a hard brittle skin and a tough sustaining-core.

3. As a means for protecting hard frangible tubes from breakage during transportation and handling, the combination with such tube; of a continuous flexible core of relatively non-frangible material, closely fitting the bore of the said tube and supporting the same interiorly against external blows or strains; said tube and core forming a non-frangible unit or body made up of a hard brittle skin and a tough sustaining-core.

4. As a means for protecting hard frangible tubes from breakage during transportation and handling, the combination with such tube; of a core of wire, closely fitting the bore of said tube and supporting the same interiorly against external blows or strains; said tube and core forming a substantially solid non-frangible unit or body made up of a hard brittle skin and a tough sustaining-core.

5. Asa means for protecting hard frangible tubes from breakage during transportation and handling, the combination with such tube; of a core of spring-wire, closely fitting the bore of said tube and supporting the same interiorly against external blows or strains; said tube and core formingasubstantially solid non-frangible unit or body made up of a hard brittle skin and a tough sustaining-core.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE W. J USTUS. Witnesses:

T. R. MADDEN, EVERETT E. KENT. 

